Japan has temporarily recalled its ambassador to South Korea over this statue commemorating Korean women forced to work as sex slaves for the Japanese in World War II.<br /><br /> Tokyo is also suspending economic dialogue with Seoul over the issue.<br /><br /> The statue was put up outside the Japanese consulate in Busan in December, in protest at an agreement struck a year ago between the two countries which was aimed at settling the long-running controversy.<br /><br /> It is one of many such monuments but Tokyo claims the new one violates the accord, under which Japan apologised and promised to pay eight million euros to a fund for Korean women. <br /><br /> “The installation of the statute near the Japanese consulate in Busan will not have a positive impact on Japan-South Korea relations, and it is strongly regrettable as we believe it is a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” said Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga. <br /><br /> The issue of the so-called “comfort women” has long damaged ties between the two countries.<br /><br /> An estimated 200,000 women, many from Korea, were forced to work in Japanese military brothels during the war.<br /><br /> Others came from elsewhere in Asia, including China and the Philippines.<br />
